Last but not least in the context of the aforemetioned communication on the digitalization of social security, representatives of the ETS association were invited to present the project at the 103rd meeting of the Technical Commission for Data Processing on the 6th of February 2024.
The Technical Commission deals with architectural rules for the operation of data processing services, in particular on security and the use of standards, within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of social security systems. One of its tasks is to encourage the use of new technologies to facilitate the free movement of persons, in particular by modernising procedures for the exchange of information and by adapting the flow of information between institutions.
The representatives of the ETS association provided backround information on why the European Tracking Service is needed, while highlighting the situation of mobile workers in the EU in terms of challenges with their pensions in various different countries. It is the purpose of the ETS to support these mobile workers and citizens in handling their diverse pensions. During the presentation the governance of the ETS Association as well as the context of the project at the European level were explained. To demonstrate the ETS goals, the FindyourPension website and the functionalities of the ETS, 3 short videos have been produced during the ETS Pilot Project of which one was shown. Furthermore, the retrieval of personal pension information from the connected Belgian tracking facilities via the ETS/FYP portal were presented including the authentication process via the eIDAS framework. The presentation was wrapped up with an outlook on the rollout phase planned for the next five years.
Without any doubts, it is important to always consider the rollout of the ETS also in the context of and in cooperation with other acitivities aimed at improving the digitalization of social security systems in Europe.